Breathe
by IsuCHAN
Summary: UlquiHime one-shot What was the point of continuing? They were all gone. Rated M for graphic violence. Unbeta-ed


**This is my first published Bleach fic. And it's UlquiHime. I hope it's enjoyable. xD**

She was back. And somehow, it was even worse. There was no light in her cell, and no thoughts of hope ever sparked in her mind. The foot steps she heard always belonged to Aizen. That cruel man, treating her like she was no more than a small defenseless mouse. And he was the cat, chasing her, scaring her away. It was sick. Sometimes she thought she'd throw up at the thought of it, but there was never anything left in her stomach to toss.

So she sat, and the days passed with no sunlight and little food or drink. She lost count of the days, eventually. Yet, she lived. She lived for the few moments when he came walking by and perhaps stopped and stared at her through the thin bars of her cell. There was sympathy in his eyes, an emotion she had never seen from him. Ulquiorra was not the kind of person to show strong emotions, especially not to some piece-of-trash girl like her. But when he gazed at her, she felt life. Like there was actually something to stay for.

Weeks passed. Perhaps months, even. She didn't bother keeping track because she couldn't. Sometimes Ulquiorra spoke to her. Never anything important, and sometimes she didn't even known what he was saying, but she would smile anyways. It was peaceful. She wondered if that was why he didn't stop speaking on some days — her smile. The very thought that her smile managed to keep him even slightly more living was a piece of hope to her. But when a small tear trickled down her cheek on its own, or if she opened her mouth to say something, he always managed to just leave.

When he was silent, one day, Orihime forced herself to speak. "Ulquiorra—" He flinched at the sound of her voice, and tensed, but today he did not get up and walk away. "Please, tell me what has happened."

"Grimmjow was killed." Ulquiorra managed after a long and wretched pause. Orihime made a sound in the back of her throat, meant to express sadness, but she couldn't tell if he understood. Ulquiorra looked straight into her eyes, his eyes dark and brooding. "So did the orange haired boy." Her entire body froze. Tears began to well out of her eyes. "They're both gone. There is no point in crying for the dead."

"You're right, of course. I knew...when no one came. Aizen stopped staring, he stopped really needing me. It's over, isn't it? Grimmjow never visited anymore...you and him...both of your visits...I would have died without them. And Ichigo...he never came. I don't think I ever expected him to. And if he did, I would have hated it. You would have just killed him. But, may I ask...did he die...protecting Kuchiki-san?"

"Yes."

"Did she die as well?" The question burned her mouth.

"...Yes."

Another sob choked her. "They wanted to save me...but now...I have no reason to live. Ulquiorra, please...do me one last favor."

"I can make no promises." His voice was stern, but soft, somewhat gentle, in a way.

"Kill me."

"...No."

"Why not? I have no reason to live, I told you. It's not like I want to have to hang around when the man I loved and my best friend are both dead. Just slit my throat. It won't be hard, I promise."

"How could it not be difficult!?" His voice was hard now. "To kill you...I might as well end my own life as well. Aizen-sama won't be happy."He slipped a pocket knife out of his pocket. "Why do I carry this thing around...?"

"You sound very human like, Ulquiorra...I like hearing your voice change pitch." In the dark, he couldn't really see her expression, bu her voice sounded like a smile. Why did his chest ache so much?

His fingers shook as he brought the knife to her throat. She arched her neck back a little to give him more space, and gasped as the sharp edge of the knife slit her throat. Ulquiorra dragged the knife deeper into her skin, closing his eyes, fighting back the horrid pain that struck his mind and body. Finally, the knife reached the end of her throat, and he let go. It dropped to the floor.

Orihime gulped in a breath — perhaps her last, he thought hopelessly.

"May I ask you one more favor...?" She didn't wait for his response. "Allow me to kiss you."

Her face was already moving closer to his and Ulquiorra did not resist. Her warm, soft, living lips touched his cold, hard, dead ones, and she seemed to relax.

He stayed with her for hours, as her dead body grew cold.

**I'm not positive if I kept Ulquiorra in character, but I did try. She was written during a bit of a Bleach obsession, and it's unbeta-ed, so there are probably a lot of stupid typos. **

**Hope it was enjoyable!**

**-Izzy**

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